Credit by Examination

College Level Examination Program (CLEP)

The College-Level Examination Program sponsored by the College Board is a testing program designed to enable knowledgeable people to earn college credit by examination.

Eligibility requirements for receiving credit by CLEP examination at ASU

Anyone may take the CLEP test, however, CLEP credit is NOT awarded for:

A course the student has completed, regardless of the grade made in the course; and/or,

A course for which the student has completed a more advanced course (For example, no credit will be awarded for Freshman English I if college credit was previously earned in Freshman English II). Exception: A student can earn credit for their skills in Spanish, French, or German through the CLEP examination even if the student has already completed a more advanced course in the subject matter area, as long as the student has not already been assigned a passing grade in the course for which credit is awarded.

It is the student's responsibility to drop a course in which enrolled BEFORE receiving credit for CLEP.

Cost of taking the exams

The total cost for taking any single examination is $102.00, payable as follows:

(1) A $15 nonrefundable scheduling fee must be paid at the ASU Cashier's Window before you make the appointment. The receipt from the Cashier's Window will be used to reserve a computer and testing time.

Upon registration, the candidate will be advised to print out the voucher and bring to the Testing Center on the test appointment date. The voucher number is essential to launch the test.

Number of credits you can earn

ASU awards up to 30 semester hours of university credit through CLEP. If you are eligible to receive college credit based upon your CLEP scores, this credit will be recorded, without grades or grade points, on your transcript after you have been enrolled at ASU for a full summer or a semester.

Passing score

Minimum acceptable scores for the awarding of credit by examination will vary from institution to institution and may not be consistent with suggested score recommendations from the American Council on Education (ACE) printed on your score report. You may get minimum pass scores from the institution where you are seeking credit.

CLEP test results

You will view your score on the computer screen at the end of the test. A copy of your score automatically prints at the end of the test. If you take College Composition, you will receive one combined score after the essay is scored, usually 2 to 3 weeks after your test date.

Taking the CLEP

CLEP examinations are computer-based and scheduled selected M, T, W, & F. Most CLEP exams are 90 minutes each, with the exception of College Composition, which is 120 minutes. Each exam is preceded by an untimed computer tutorial. Please allow 2 full hours for each exam you take.

To schedule an exam, contact the Testing Center at 870-972-2038.

CLEP exams for institutions other than ASU

The Testing Center is an "Open CLEP Test Center." Test results will be reported by the test publisher to participants and to any institution(s) they specify.

Retake policy

A CLEP test may be repeated after three months. Scores on tests repeated earlier than the specified time will be cancelled and test fees forfeited.

CollegeBoard

The CLEP Exam was developed by CollegeBoard, a not-for-profit organization committed to excellence and equity in education.

Students can receive CIT credit by examination after completing certifications for Microsoft, CompTia, etc. The student must complete a Request for Credit by Examination form and provide proof they passed the appropriate exam to the CIT department.